A yellow flower is growing
Amongst the greenest grass.
In the village of Silbi
Narspi, a girl, is raised.
Her appearance is nice,
Like a yellow field flower.
Her eyes are as dark as
Two black beads.
She has a curly braid
Down her back.
When she walks along the street,
Ornaments and coins jingle.
When she looks at a boy,
His heart throbs gently.
Seeing her lips smiling,
The boy’s soul softens.
Who won’t look kindly at
A yellow field flower?
Who won’t fall in love at
Once, seeing such beauty?

* * *

When the sun sets,
She washes her face and dries herself.
And puts shulgheme on her chest
To go to the evening games.
She puts her tevet
Over her shoulders.
Ties up her red silk kerchief -
Just like it is worn by girls.
At the games her voice is
Like a chirping of a bird.
When she laughs - everyone
Believes her to be a healthy girl.
Till the games are over,
All are happy with her voice.
The morning star, having risen,
Twinkles in the bright sky.
Narspi sleeps calmly
In her father’s house.
Dreaming sweet dreams,
She is happy sleeping.

* * *

Arising early in the morning,
Narspi starts her favourite job:
Either taking a silk thread,
She embroiders, singing;
Or her needlework’s like beads,
When she begins sewing:
A steel dog with a hemp tail’s
Coming out, coming in;
Either she begins weaving -
Her shuttle moves like playing;
Or she takes a khultarch -
Thread is wound onto a spool.
Or when lying on the bench,
The cat washes its face,
Which means she has already cooked
Tasty food for any guest.
The girl’s life had been prospering
Until she reached the age,
When to her father’s house
Came matchmakers one day.

* * *

Narspi’s father Mikheter
Is a very rich landlord.
He loves his daughter very much,
And boasts about Narspi.
“Who has daughter like mine?
Where else is there such a girl?
She has shoes, and if she wants,
She can wear ornaments.
In the village of Silbi
There are no girls like mine!
No Chuvash will bring up
A daughter like Mikheter!
Was I ever short of anything?
Is there anything I haven’t?
And I have in my supse
Silver coins and sackcloth.
Haven’t I got in my barn
Sacks of grain?
Don’t I store in my cellar
Butter, dairy products, beer, honey?”

* * *

There is no lie in the truth:
Mikheter has everything.
He is the only ulput
In the whole village.
His house is like a castle,
One can get lost in it.
And the sheds are very big,
No cock and hen can climb.
The yard is full of utensils.
And the barn - of grain.
That means the host
Is a successful farmer.
He feeds all his animals
With hay and oats only.
His pigs and gelded hogs
Are like barrels really.
This house in Turikas
Is seen from a distance.
As he deserves, Mikheter
Is proud of it, and not in vain.

* * *

This kind person Mikheter
Loves his daughter very much.
She was engaged right
After Shrovetide at once.
All the people of the village
Await the wedding with impatience.
“If two rich become related,
The wedding will be lavish!”
When will Sinze come
And how to kill the time?
And when will Simek come?
Everyone is on tenterhooks.
In Mikheter’s house are gathered
All the relatives together;
And try hurriedly to sew
The dowry for the bride.
But the latter, by the way,
Over the coming party grieves.
Narspi cries out secretly,
Whispering her Setner’s name.

* * *

At the end of the village
A miserable hut stands.
Here with his mother
Lives Setner, her son.
Setner, a handsome fellow,
Has an argamak, a horse,
And an old woman - mother,
And a heart with hot blood.
To work days and nights
He has strong hands,
To destroy the enemies
He has fury and rage.
And that is all that he is rich in.
He has grown a poor man.
(But keep in mind: Mikheter
Won’t give his daughter to the poor.)
Our Narspi, a beautiful girl,
Loves that boy Setner,
Therefore she does not sleep -
And is sad about the wedding.

* * *

A white willow stands by the stream,
And under it - high trough.
Every morning Setner
Waits for Narspi here.
He waters his horse
In expectation at the brook.
He sees Narspi
Coming down with buckets.
As he sees Narspi
Carrying two buckets,
His heart begins throbbing
Happily at once.
Narspi’s thin lips begin
Smiling from afar.
And at the brook Setner
Shines with pleasure.
He looks with loving eyes
At the beautiful girl.
And through his moustache
He whispers gentle words to her.